Liberté White Rum, 37.5%, Réunion.

I thought Liberté was a yoghurt brand with TV adverts from a few years ago?

Yet here in my local Lidl was a simple & sparsely labelled bottle of white rum bearing the same name.

Liberté Rum c/othewhiskeynut

Liberté is a nod to the French connection that still exists on the tiny island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean.

There are 3 rum distilleries operating on Rèunion; Isautier, Rivière Du Mât & Savanna – take your pick as to the source.

I like it neat myself. c/othewhiskeynut

A clear colourless rum with distinctively fat oily legs.

A very soft mild & mellow nose didn’t give much away – but there was a suggestion of overripe fruits glimpsing through.

Extremely easy on the palate – slightly oily mouthfeel with a gently warming heat.

Letting it linger gradually opens up those funky fruit flavours – not overpowering – just pleasantly attractive – followed by a touch of tingling spice adding some flair to this endearing rum.

The 300 year history of rum distilling on Réunion is quietly imprinted on this charmingly beguiling Liberté White Rum.

Ship ahoy! c/othewhiskeynut

It floats my boat!

Slàinte

 

Locke’s Irish Whiskey, Blend, 40%

This delightfully enjoyable blend almost passed me by.

Locke’s Irish Whiskey c/othewhiskeynut

Released under John Teeling’s tenure at Kilbeggan Distillery – it now seems to have slipped from the current line up of new owners Beam/Suntory.

For the greater part of it’s history the distillery at Kilbeggan went by various names. Originally called Brusna Distillery in 1757 – after the river the waterwheel still turns from to this day – then Locke’s Distillery – after the Locke family who effectively ran the operation from 1843 until closure in 1958.

Brusna, Locke’s, Kilbeggan entrance c/othewhiskeynut

The distillery licence never expired during the following years. In turn this was acquired by John Teeling’s Cooley Distillery which opened in 1987 and resurrected the Locke’s brand – along with a few others.

Locke’s Distillery only ever produced pot still whiskey – which is perhaps one of many reasons for it’s demise – so ironically this miniature is a blended whiskey – using both grain & malt whiskeys combined together.

The Irish Whiskey Industry were rather late in embracing blended whiskey – over 130 years later than their Scottish counterparts – which also partly explains it’s collapse by the 1960’s.

So in it’s own way – Locke’s Blended Irish Whiskey was part of the revival. I’m glad to have stumbled on this miniature at The Old Stand in Mullingar.

Locke’s in a Túath Glass c/othewhiskeynut

The colour is light straw – but added caramel cannot be ruled out for this entry level blend.

A lovely soft malt greeted me on nosing. Sweet with just a little hint of turf.

The palate was soft, sweet & very smooth. Eminently approachable. Yet there is a slight suggestion of peat at the end to give it a bit of bite & character.

A decent afterglow wrapped up this extremely enjoyable drinking experience.

Well worth getting hold of if you come across a bottle.

Liquid history.

Sláinte.